“The 2015 peach harvest has just gotten underway and we are looking forward to a great year for Virginia peaches,” said Sandy Adams, Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). On July 23, the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) said the peaches look good and the crop was about 38 percent harvested.
Governor Terence R. McAuliffe has proclaimed August as Peach Month in Virginia. In the proclamation, he reminds consumers that different varieties of peaches ripen at different times during the season, so there’s a plentiful supply of fruit throughout the summer months, with peak season in August.
VDACS offers this list of common and surprising facts about peaches:
- Virginia growers produce yellow and white peaches, donut peaches and nectarines in three main peach-growing regions: Central, Northern and Southwestern Virginia
- According to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, Virginia has 244 peach farms; in 2014, the state had 1,200 bearing acres of peaches with a total production of 5,300 tons
- A wonderfully delicious large peach has fewer than 70 calories, contains three grams of fiber and is also a good source of vitamins A and C, yet contains no saturated fats
- The peach is a member of the rose family, and there are more than 700 varieties of the fruit
- The marketing of peaches, summer vegetables, berries and other products through festivals, activities, direct sales and buyer contacts enhances the economic opportunities of many Virginia farmers and supports the agriculture industry overall
Consumers can find fresh peaches at pick-your-own farms, farmers’ markets and other venues by going to VirginiaGrown.com and searching for peaches in the Name / Description / Product bar. They can narrow the search by county, zip code or type of place where sold.
VDACS maintains a list of Virginia farmers’ markets by region on VirginiaGrown.com. Farmers’ markets are invited to add or update their listing. Market managers, vendors and consumers are encouraged to follow VDACS on Twitter and Facebook.
Source: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)
